The Biophysical Relationship Development
by ynotlleb
Summary: A sequel to "The Biophysical Relationship Evolution" and "The Biophysical Relationship Continuation" about married couple Sheldon and Bernadette's life working together at Caltech. Everything belongs to Chuck Lorre and friends.
1. Long time no see

A sequel to "The Biophysical Relationship Evolution" and "The Biophysical Relationship Continuation". The story continues 4 years after Bernadette starts working at Caltech.

Everything belongs to Chuck Lorre and friends.

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Dr. Bernadette Rostenkowski-Cooper, Senior Research Assistant in Microbiology at Caltech, was returning to her office after lunch with her husband Sheldon when she saw her friend Dr. Jane Parker. Bernadette had first come to work at Caltech when she did Jane's maternity cover post after being fired by Zangen pharmaceuticals.

"Hello Jane, how are things in my old lab?"

"Hello Bernie, things are fine in the microbiology lab. Do you have time to come over this afternoon to see the new electron microscope upgrade?"

"Sorry Jane, I have some paperwork to do before I have a meeting with Professor Kariuki."

"No problem, maybe tomorrow?"

"I'll let you know, see you later?"

Bernadette had half an hour to catch up with paperwork before her weekly meeting with Professor Tom Kariuki, Assistant Dean of Biological Science at Caltech. Bernadette ran Kariuki's research group for him as he was too busy with his administration work.

5 minutes later there was a knock on the door.

Bernadette "Come in but make it fast, I have a meeting in twenty minutes." Bernadette then looked up and saw who it was. "Oh, hello, long time no see."

Jackson "Hello Dr. Rostenkowski-Cooper, do you remember me?"

Bernadette "Yes, Dr. Simon Jackson, head of the new drug research division at Zangen. You do know that Zangen fired me?"

Jackson "Yes, I know that Zangen fired you. I also know that you have a meeting with Professor Kariuki, I will be at that meeting as well. First, if it is OK I would like to have a private chat with you. The reason I am here is that Zangen wants to sponsor a new research project at Caltech and Kariuki logically wants your input on this project. But before that I want to apologise to you about how you were treated towards the end of your time at Zangen. Have you heard anything from Zangen since you left?"

Bernadette "I have been here at Caltech for 4 years, about seven months after I started my old boss started calling me! I reminded him that he fired me and hung up. He kept on calling me so eventually I got Caltech to block any calls to me from Zangen. Since then nothing."

Jackson "I understand that you didn't enjoy working at Zangen those last few months."

Bernadette "That is a bit of an understatement. I went from doing interesting work in the lab to endless meetings and late nights, my boss was pretty awful."

Jackson "This was all part of his plan to try and get rid of you. His niece was coming to the end of her PhD studies in microbiology in San Diego, he wanted to make you quit so she could do your old job. Eventually when she got her PhD he fired you, he rushed through paperwork to get your old job advertised and she was doing your old job in the lab a month after you left.

She wasn't the best employee Zangen ever had, in retrospect I wonder how she even got through a PhD program. She was warned several times about her lab work, after 5 months there was a big lab accident. Some people got very sick, although fortunately nobody died, after she broke a flask containing some nasty bacteria. After that there was a big investigation, only then did the family relationship between the two of them come out, they both thought they could hide that. This was around the time he started calling you."

Bernadette "That's terrible. One of the reasons I applied for a job at Caltech is that my husband is a Physics Professor here, but I made sure everyone knew that at the job interview."

Jackson "As you no doubt remember, Zangen wants to know about any family connections of new employees so we can stop any potential acts of nepotism. They were both fired immediately, it cost Zangen a lot of money to get your old lab decontaminated."

Bernadette "What is my old boss doing now?"

Jackson "Last I heard he was working at Walmart stacking shelves. Thank you for your time, I wanted to let you know so it would be less uncomfortable for you if you end up collaborating with Zangen in this new project. I will see you with Professor Kariuki in a few minutes."


	2. Kirk versus Picard

A sequel to "The Biophysical Relationship Evolution" and "The Biophysical Relationship Continuation". Part 2, Bernadette attends a meeting at Caltech with Zangen.

Everything belongs to Chuck Lorre and friends.

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10 minutes after Dr. Jackson left Bernadette's office the meeting started in Professsor Kariuki's office.

Kariuki "Thanks to everyone for coming, I would like to welcome to Caltech our distinguished visitor from Zangen pharmaceuticals, Dr. Simon Jackson. I would like introduce my Caltech colleagues. Here is Professor Sally Wang, head of the department of Biochemistry, next to her is Professor Yuri Andrews, my successor as head of the department of Microbiology. I am sure that you remember your former Zangen colleague Dr. Bernadette Rostenkowski-Cooper, she looks after my research group now I am Assistant Dean and don't have time to do science any more."

Jackson "Thank you for the welcome Professor Kariuki, nice to meet you all. I just want to confirm what you have heard unofficially, Zangen wants to sponsor a research project here at Caltech in structural and microbiology. We envisage funding 4 PhD students, two in structural biology and two in microbiology. The students would be based here but would spend a couple of months a year working in our labs at Zangen. We will also be making a donation to upgrade some of your research laboratories. We would envisage all this starting in six months time at the beginning of the next academic year..."

1 hour later the details of the Zangen funded research project had been discussed. The studentships would be advertised and Jackson would return in three months to interview potential students. Wang, Jackson and Andrews left but Bernadette stayed behind.

Kariuki "Bernadette, I need to have your weekly progress report on our research group but before that I have something else to discuss with you, related to this Zangen project. I currently have four PhD students left in the group, two of them are almost ready to submit their theses and they should hopefully both be graduating in a couple of months. These are the two you kicked out of the lab 4 years ago. As I am sure that you realise the microbiology PhD studentships that Zangen wants to fund would be ideally suited to our research group. I don't have time to start supervising any new PhD students, so how would you like to be their supervisor? There wouldn't be much difference to what you are doing at the moment except you wouldn't be reporting directly to me on these students. They would be all yours, what do you think of that?

Bernardette "It all sounds very exciting, so I would effectively be co-supervisor of these students with Dr. Jackson."

Kariuki "Yes but Dr. Jackson's contribution to this supervision is going to be mostly paying the bills. You will be advising on science."

Bernadette "I can't wait."

Kariuki "I mentioned earlier that two of my four PhD students should graduate soon, I reckon the other two will finish next year. After that I will have no more PhD students left, any future students will be all yours. When the last of my PhD students have graduated then Professor Kariuki's research group will be no more. The group will belong to you, Professor Rostenkowski-Cooper."

Bernadette "Did you say Professor?"

Kariuki "I have recommended to the University that you be promoted to full Professor. This decision will need to be rubber-stamped by the appropriate committee but by the time your new students arrive you will officially be a Professor, congratulations Bernadette."

Bernardette "Well thank you Tom."

Kariuki "OK let's hear this week's progress report. After we finish if you would like to go and see Janine Davis she will have some papers for you to sign..."

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At the end of the working day Bernadette went to her husband's office to get ready to go home. She could hear Sheldon and Raj having an animated discussion on the topic of "Kirk versus Picard."

She opened the door

Bernadette "Good evening Dr. Koothrappali, Professor Cooper."

Raj "Hello Bernadette"

Sheldon "Good evening my dear, are you ready to go home, what is in that big envelope?..."


	3. The two Professors

A sequel to "The Biophysical Relationship Evolution" and "The Biophysical Relationship Continuation". Part 3, Bernadette officially becomes a Professor at Caltech.

Everything belongs to Chuck Lorre and friends.

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In September, just before the start of the academic year when Bernadette would officially become Professor Rostenkowski-Cooper, Sheldon and Bernadette held a party to celebrate her promotion. They did think of having the party in the summer when the announcement of her Professorship was made official. However, as Amy was almost 9 months pregnant at the time they decided to wait a few months.

All her friends came to congratulate her.

Leonard "Congratulations Professor, after Sheldon became a Professor three years ago I wondered who would be next. You beat the rest of us to it, well done."

Penny "10 years ago when we met we were both at the Cheesecake Factory, now look at you. You are a Professor and I am still at the Cheesecake Factory."

Bernadette "Thank you my friends, don't forget Penny that you are the manager of the Cheesecake Factory now, we have both gone up in the world."

Raj "You will soon have your own graduate students, very impressive! I couldn't do that. I can talk to ladies I know these days but it is still a struggle talking to ladies that I don't know. I wouldn't give much of a first impression if I were to get any female graduate students."

Stuart "Congratulations Bernadette. You know that Sheldon gets 10% professorial discount on new comic books, I am prepared to extend this discount to you."

Bernadette "Thank you Stuart, I will bear that in mind."

Then Amy and Howard arrived.

Amy "Congratulations Bernie, sorry we are late. We finally got the twins settled down at my mother's house."

Bernadette "How are Josh and Debbie?"

Howard "Still not sleeping enough for their parents. Since I returned to Caltech from parental leave I haven't been getting much sleep. If you see us asleep on the sofa don't wake us up!"

Amy "How is my maternity cover replacement doing at Caltech?"

Bernadette "From what I have heard he is doing OK. Talking of maternity cover I would like to thank both of you again for inviting Jane Parker to your wedding. If I hadn't met her then we wouldn't be here celebrating my Professorship."

Then Sheldon spoke

"Now that we are all here if you will all join me in a toast. To my wonderful wife and friend to us all, Professor Bernadette Rostenkowski-Cooper."

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Two days later it was Monday, the first day of the academic year. Sheldon awoke and said to his wife "Good morning Professor" and she replied "Good morning to you Professor."

When they arrived at work Bernadette was pleased to see that the name plate on her office door now read Professor Bernadette Rostenkowski-Cooper. At 10.00am Bernadette's new Zangen funded PhD students arrived, Francesca O'Reilly and Sanjay Chandrasekhar.

Bernadette "Welcome to Caltech you two, I am Professor Bernadette Rostenkowski-Cooper, but you can call me Bernadette. This morning I will show you around, tomorrow we will all go to Zangen pharmaceuticals, who are funding your studentships. We can have a discussion about the project with Dr. Jackson, your Zangen supervisor. Before you can do anything I need to show you around the lab and get you safely trained up. So let us go down the corridor to the microbiology research lab and introduce you to some people.

Here is the microbiology research laboratory, this is Dr. Jane Parker, she is the experimental officer in charge of this lab. You will not be allowed to do any work in here until you have completed your safety training, Dr. Parker will start your training on Wednesday morning. She will issue you with lab coats and other items of personal protection equipment. Here are Hans Schmitt and Andrea Gonzalez, they are the other two PhD students in the group. They normally go for a cup of tea around 10.45am so maybe you can join them and they can tell you more about how things work round here.

I understand that you have to go and sign up for the library after lunch. We have our weekly group meeting in my office at 3.00pm so if you can come with Hans and Andrea you will find out about how our research group works. That should be enough for your first day. Welcome again to Caltech, any questions?...

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Next morning at Zangen

Receptionist "Good morning, welcome to Zangen, how can I help you. Wait a minute, is that you Bernadette?"

Bernadette "Yes it is"

Receptionist "Nice to see you, I didn't expect to see you here again."

Bernadette "I didn't expect to be here again, but here I am. Could you please inform Dr. Jackson that Professor Rostenkowski-Cooper and her graduate students are here to see him..."


	4. Punting Professors

A sequel to "The Biophysical Relationship Evolution" and "The Biophysical Relationship Continuation". Part 4, Bernadette and Sheldon visit England. Everything belongs to Chuck Lorre and friends.

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After Bernadette formally became a Professor her weekly progress reports to Professor Kariuki become monthly. Kariuki only had 2 graduate students left under his nominal supervision.

Kariuki "So Bernadette how are things this month."

Bernadette "Things are nice and quiet, Hans and Andrea are busy writing up whilst Francesca and Sanjay are working at Zangen for a couple of months. I have actually got time to do some work of my own in the lab, Jane Parker is giving me a hand. We should be submitting a paper together in a couple of weeks."

Kariuki "Excellent, I am glad you are keeping yourself scientifically active. I wish I had time to do that. Do Hans and Andrea have any post-PhD plans?"

Bernadette "Hans has got a postdoc sorted out back home in Switzerland. I am thinking of offering Andrea a postdoc here. I will have 3 new graduate students starting in the new academic year, I will need a hand running the group."

Kariuki "That's a good idea, Andrea has been a good student over the years. It will help to have a bit more continuity in the group.

Bernadette "Before all that starts Sheldon and I are off to England for 2 weeks. Sheldon is attending a Physics conference in Cambridge and then we will have a week's vacation to see the sights in London."

Kariuki "Cambridge, oh can I come with you? I did my PhD there 25 years ago after I emigrated from Kenya. I miss the old place, I haven't been back for years. You must look up my old supervisor Professor MacDonald, he recommended me for a postdoc at Caltech and now look at me!"

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One month later Sheldon and Bernadette are in a punt travelling down the River Cam.

Sheldon "Are you sure that these things are safe, the young man steering us has only got a long stick?"

Bernadette "Relax, this is something that I have always wanted to do, just sit back and admire these amazing old buildings."

Sheldon "Raj was right, it does look like Hogwarts. We will get to see Hogwarts from the inside at the conference dinner tonight."

Bernadette "I shall put my witches robes on specially :-) Did you get to meet with Professor Hawking?"

Sheldon "Yes we had quite a discussion about dark matter. He wants to write a joint paper with me."

Bernadette "How exciting, I got to meet Tom Kariuki's PhD supervisor today, a nice old man, he had some tales to tell about Tom's student days."

Sheldon "I met someone today who did her PhD at the same time as Raj. She was glad to know he is better at talking to women now."

Bernadette "This Cambridge is pretty wonderful, I can see why Amy and Howard came here on their honeymoon."

Sheldon "We will have to find you a biology conference here some time."

Bernadette "Definitely. It looks like our punt ride is finished, lets go get ready for the dinner."


	5. What's up Doc?

A sequel to "The Biophysical Relationship Evolution" and "The Biophysical Relationship Continuation". Part 5, a new academic year begins. Everything belongs to Chuck Lorre and friends.

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Shortly after Bernadette and Sheldon returned from England Professor Kariuki's last 2 graduate students had both successfully defended their theses. When the next academic year started Professor Kariuki's research group was no more, Professor Rostenkowski-Cooper now was totally in charge of the research group. At the first group meeting of the year Bernadette introduced the new group members.

"Welcome one and all, this is our weekly group meeting, we normally hold it here in my office on Monday at 3.00pm. I try to make myself available to help my group members as much as possible during the week but I am always available on Monday afternoons. We have 3 new graduate student group members so I will formally introduce them.

First new student is Jennifer Wilson, she is from Houston in my husband's home state of Texas, hello to Jennifer. Then we have Sally Walker, from Brisbane in Australia, G'day Sally. The final new student is Luther Jones from Chicago. Hello to Luther.

They are joining the group which also contains two graduate students who are starting their second year, we have Francesca O'Reilly from Vancouver in Canada and Sanjay Chandrasekhar from Chennai in India. Finally congratulations to Dr. Andrea Gonzalez from Arizona. She has just finished her PhD studies in our group and has started a 2 year postdoc, Andrea will be helping me run the group.

If our new students haven't done so already they should make themselves known to Dr. Jane Parker. Dr. Parker is experimental officer in charge of the microbiology lab, you can't get any work done until you have completed your safety training so Dr. Parker is a good person to get to know.

So welcome everyone. Unless anyone has any urgent questions could Francesca or Sanjay let us know what they have been up to since the last meeting...

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After the meeting Bernadette went to Sheldon's office where her husband was in an animated discussion with Howard about which actor played the best "Doctor Who."

Bernardette "Good evening Professor and good evening Mr. Wolowitz, how are your lovely children?"

Sheldon "Good evening Professor, ready to go home?"

Howard "Hello Bernadette, the twins are growing up fast. Will we see you at Leonard and Penny's tonight?"

Bernadette "We will be there."

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One hour later chez Hofstadter.

Leonard "Welcome everyone, we are glad that you could all make it."

Penny "I'm pregnant!"

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Later that evening at the Rostenkowski-Cooper home some pillow talking took place.

Bernadette "What an evening, good news for Penny!"

Sheldon "Yes, I am happy for our old friends. Of course you know what our lady friends are going to start to say soon?"

Bernadette "So Bernie, when are you and Sheldon going to have a baby?"

Sheldon "What do you think about that?"

Bernadette "I have sometimes thought that I might have a baby in the future, but not just yet. Of course none of us are getting any younger. But having a baby is not my top priority at the moment."

Sheldon "I never thought of myself as a parent, but then I never thought of myself as a husband either and look at us."

Bernadette "So if I did decide that I wanted a baby you would support me."

Sheldon "Of course, I am your husband. However, we should both check if we can successfully make a baby together, should we want to do that."

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One week later at the hospital. Bernadette has just been examined by gynaecologist Dr. Julie Frazer.

Frazer "So Mr. and Mrs. Rostenkowski-Cooper."

Sheldon "That is Doctor and Professor Cooper"

Bernadette "Same here"

Frazer "Are these doctorates in medicine?"

Sheldon "Physics"

Bernadette "Microbiology"

Frazer "In this building those don't count. So Mr. and Mrs. Rostenkowski-Cooper, you want to know if you can have a baby?"

Bernadette "That's why we are here."

Frazer. "Well I am afraid Mrs. Rostenkowski-Cooper you can't. I have examined your baby making equipment and you should have tried five years ago. Sorry to be so abrupt but bedside manner has never been my strong suit. If you want a second opinion I can recommend some great gynaecologists but I can guarantee that they will give you the same result. Do you have any questions?...


	6. Einstein and Hawking

A sequel to "The Biophysical Relationship Evolution" and "The Biophysical Relationship Continuation". Part 6, the group prepares for a new arrival. Everything belongs to Chuck Lorre and friends.

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After Penny's announcement and then the news from Dr. Frazer, Bernadette was left in an uncomfortable position. She was happy that her friend Penny was going to have a baby, but this became virtually the sole topic of conversation in the social group, especially on "Girls Nights." Amy, the mother of one year old twins, was full of advice for the soon to be new mother. Two weeks earlier Bernadette had been somewhat ambivalent about her ever becoming a mother. However, Penny was about to join a club which Amy had already joined and that she could never join. She didn't want to rain on Penny's parade by revealing what Dr. Frazer had told her and Sheldon.

Sheldon bent over backwards to be a good husband to Bernadette. By a mutual unspoken agreement babies were not to be mentioned at home when only the two of them were there.

Bernadette threw herself into her work. She was busy enough with 5 PhD students to supervise and an increased teaching load. Her time in the lab was becoming limited to a few hours a week with her students. She found herself on a Caltech research grant committee, Raj was also on this committee so at least she had a friendly face with her as the creeping tendrils of science administration started to eat into her time. She frequently thought to herself "I am turning into what Tom Kariuki used to be before he became the Dean. Good job I can't get pregnant, I would hate for someone to try and do this for a year as maternity cover."

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As the winter turned into spring Penny was getting bigger and bigger. Bernadette tried to be supportive to Penny but she was starting to dread social occasions with her friends. She would barely say a word as everyone else except Sheldon would talk constantly about the new baby and the latest cute thing that Josh and Debbie Wolowitz had done. Sheldon would frequently drive Bernadette home with his wife in floods of tears :-(

Then one day at work, when Bernadette had one of her increasingly rare days in the lab with her students, she sought out her friend Jane Parker.

Bernadette "Jane, can I have a word with you in private."

Jane "Is anything wrong in the lab?"

Bernadette "No, you are doing a great job in the lab as always, my students enjoy working with you. This is nothing to do with biology. Well actually it has everything to do with biology, just not the sort we do around here.

Do you remember my friend Penny, Dr. Hofstadter's wife."

Jane "Yes, I remember her from Amy's wedding. She's not a scientist?"

Bernadette "Far from it, I worked with her waiting tables at the Cheesecake Factory when I was a graduate student. Penny is 8 months pregnant, Sheldon and I are both thrilled for our friends. However, a week after I found out Penny was pregnant I found out that I couldn't have children, I just waited too long. Nobody will ever have to do a maternity cover post for me!"

Jane "Awful timing."

Bernadette "Before Penny's announcement I had never seriously thought of having a baby. It was always something for the future. But now that future has gone, never to return. For the last 6 months I have heard nothing but baby talk from Penny and new mother Amy passing on baby advice. Please, not a word to Amy or Penny about this, I do not want to spoil their happiness. Sheldon has been wonderfully supportive for me but I just needed to talk to a woman about this."

Jane "it must be rough for you. I love my Angela and Michael but my sister Anne can't have children either. She is a super Aunt but I can see the momentary look of sadness in her eyes when Auntie Anne says good bye to her niece and nephew. However, I think I can do something to help. Would you and Sheldon like to come over and visit after work tomorrow?...

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Four weeks later Marie Amy Bernadette Hofstadter was born, right on schedule. Bernadette and Sheldon were both at the hospital for their friends big day, they were very happy for Penny and Leonard, Bernadette was very pleasantly surprised with the baby name.

When they got home Bernadette opened the door and said

"We're home kittens, who wants cat food?" as two little black and white balls of fur came streaking towards her. Bernadette sat down and both kittens jumped into her lap and started purring.

Then Sheldon said "Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking, come and get your food." The kittens both jumped out of Bernadette's lap towards two little bowls of kitten food, chasing each other's tails en route.

Bernadette said to her husband "We owe Jane Parker another huge favour. Not only did I get a job at Caltech as her maternity cover but now she gives us two new kittens from her cats new litter. Good luck to Penny and Leonard with baby Marie, at least we have two kittens to play with :-)"


End file.
